Name: Greg Hurd Source: unca20100401.htmI wish this was only as simple as a torn cover. Both of the items on etsy and eBay are photocopied or otherwise printed items stuck on cases. These are not isolated incidents.

Several years ago I got an OK copied Disney poster that wasn't quite right. A quick look with a loupe revealed an injet pattern vs. a traditional full dot offset pattern. The seller stalled on a refund when I said it was a fake and shut down all communications when I told them it was being sent to Disney. In the meantime eBay was contacted and their policy at the time was that if I was not the copyright holder, they would not do squat. I got a letter from Disney stating it was counterfeit and they were looking into it. eBay then sat on their hands for over six months before making an effort on closing these guys down. It was a printer -with a nice inkjet no less- quietly working as a bootleg operation. I contacted their local police and state police, the state's Better Business Bureau, I reported tons of similar items. Their last month in operation they added repro to their titles, Nearly seven month later they were out of operation. I never got a refund, never got any follow up.

eBay has been a front for tons of fake items for years. The only thing that has changed is the technology. etsy is supposed to be all hand made or lightly manufactured items and should know better.

Name: Greg Hurd Source: unca20100219.htmI wish this was only as simple as a torn cover. Both of the items on etsy and eBay are photocopied or otherwise printed items stuck on cases. These are not isolated incidents.

Several years ago I got an OK copied Disney poster that wasn't quite right. A quick look with a loupe revealed an injet pattern vs. a traditional full dot offset pattern. The seller stalled on a refund when I said it was a fake and shut down all communications when I told them it was being sent to Disney. In the meantime eBay was contacted and their policy at the time was that if I was not the copyright holder, they would not do squat. I got a letter from Disney stating it was counterfeit and they were looking into it. eBay then sat on their hands for over six months before making an effort on closing these guys down. It was a printer -with a nice inkjet no less- quietly working as a bootleg operation. I contacted their local police and state police, the state's Better Business Bureau, I reported tons of similar items. Their last month in operation they added repro to their titles, Nearly seven month later they were out of operation. I never got a refund, never got any follow up.

eBay has been a front for tons of fake items for years. The only thing that has changed is the technology. etsy is supposed to be all hand made or lightly manufactured items and should know better.

Name: Tony Ravenscroft Source: unca20100401.htmI think eBay often regrets allowing me to sell there. There are days when the ripoffs just leap out at me & I submit a dozen or more complaints.

The cig cases are cheap tin boxes, usually with reduced images glued to the top & sometimes laminated. Because it's such an easy gimmick, there are plenty of imitators of the licensed lines.

I got some poor woman shut down who was using the Disney images that came with her new Brother embroiderer to detail towels & sell them on eBay. To them I said, "Disney -- are you kidding??? You'll be sued blind!!!"

Look up the autographed pictures, specifically searching on _preprint_. What this means is that the bozo scans a COPYRIGHTED photo (often from a magazine like Maxim), digs up an exemplar autograph (surprisingly easy to find on the Internet), then drops it on the image & cranks up the inkjet. I've gotten dozens of these clowns banned, but it's like Whack-A-Mole.

eBay especially paid attention when I found this being done with sports heroes & Sports Illustrated.

The more egregious bastards cobble up a "Certificate of Authenticity"!! Yet I have yet to find one that indicates ANY sort of licensure.

By all means, keep on eBay's spreading ass. If you can notify the rights-holder, do so. I found Bunny Yeager's official outlet & let them know about someone ripping off their hand-pulled Betty Page prints.

Name: Tony Ravenscroft Source: unca20100219.htmI think eBay often regrets allowing me to sell there. There are days when the ripoffs just leap out at me & I submit a dozen or more complaints.

The cig cases are cheap tin boxes, usually with reduced images glued to the top & sometimes laminated. Because it's such an easy gimmick, there are plenty of imitators of the licensed lines.

I got some poor woman shut down who was using the Disney images that came with her new Brother embroiderer to detail towels & sell them on eBay. To them I said, "Disney -- are you kidding??? You'll be sued blind!!!"

Look up the autographed pictures, specifically searching on _preprint_. What this means is that the bozo scans a COPYRIGHTED photo (often from a magazine like Maxim), digs up an exemplar autograph (surprisingly easy to find on the Internet), then drops it on the image & cranks up the inkjet. I've gotten dozens of these clowns banned, but it's like Whack-A-Mole.

eBay especially paid attention when I found this being done with sports heroes & Sports Illustrated.

The more egregious bastards cobble up a "Certificate of Authenticity"!! Yet I have yet to find one that indicates ANY sort of licensure.

By all means, keep on eBay's spreading ass. If you can notify the rights-holder, do so. I found Bunny Yeager's official outlet & let them know about someone ripping off their hand-pulled Betty Page prints.

Our Halloween turnout was disappointing. Only around 50 treaters this year, after more than twice that amount last. We gave up sitting on the porch and retreated into the family room to watch SLEEPY HOLLOW for the umpteenth time.
_________________________________________

For those of you not on Facebook, I've added a bunch of new pictures from our trip to Churchill on my website. From the front page, click the ON THE ROAD ESSAYS - THE TUNDRA link. Hope you enjoy.

Our Halloween turnout was disappointing. Only around 50 treaters this year, after more than twice that amount last. We gave up sitting on the porch and retreated into the family room to watch SLEEPY HOLLOW for the umpteenth time.
_________________________________________

For those of you not on Facebook, I've added a bunch of new pictures from our trip to Churchill on my website. From the front page, click the ON THE ROAD ESSAYS - THE TUNDRA link. Hope you enjoy.

Sadly, I couldn't agree more about the electronic thieves' den Ebay has become for many unwary consumers.

In my own experience the company does less than nothing to protect customers from outright fraud, hiding behind a glib, "free market" cynicism that makes it all too easy for predators to use the service as if it were a virtual fencing operation or a floating confidance game. Half a dozen years ago after being ripped-off twice by two different sellers in the same month, I cut the site dead. Never even browsed it again. Friends don't let friends use Ebay.

Sadly, I couldn't agree more about the electronic thieves' den Ebay has become for many unwary consumers.

In my own experience the company does less than nothing to protect customers from outright fraud, hiding behind a glib, "free market" cynicism that makes it all too easy for predators to use the service as if it were a virtual fencing operation or a floating confidance game. Half a dozen years ago after being ripped-off twice by two different sellers in the same month, I cut the site dead. Never even browsed it again. Friends don't let friends use Ebay.